Interactive personalized E-experience system and method for visual voice mail

ABSTRACT

In-person shopping at brick-and-mortar locations can be facilitated using visual voicemail systems. A user device can be detected upon entry or proximity to a retail location and a greeting visual voicemail message can be transmitted to the user device. User data may be integrated into the greeting message. The greeting message can also include options for a user to activate that allow the integration of the virtual and physical shopping experience. Options can include requests for sales associate help, product information or location, associated service plans or accessories, etc. Multiple remote resources can be coordinated to service a user&#39;s requests via a visual voicemail system while the user is shopping in the retail location.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/796,333, filed Jun. 8, 2010, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,417,221, issued on Apr. 9, 2013, entitled “InteractivePersonalized E-Experience System and Method for Visual Voice Mail,” theentire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field generally relates to wireless communications andmore specifically relates to visual voicemail systems.

BACKGROUND

Communications devices such as cellular telephones, mobile communicationdevices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptops, and the like arebecoming more prevalent as technology advances and makes these devicesmore powerful and more affordable. These devices are also beingconstructed with increasing capabilities and can now perform functionsthat have in the past been performed by dedicated special functioncommunications devices. For instance, a common mobile communicationsdevice today may have computing capabilities that allow the device toprocess multimedia content, the ability to communicate with datanetworks such as the Internet, a display than can render high qualitystill images and video, audio capabilities that allow the device to playmusic and video soundtracks, as well as the ability to place and receivetraditional mobile telephone calls and text messages.

The expanding capabilities of mobile communications devices have allowedthe improvement and enhancement of more traditional technologies. Forexample, voicemail has traditionally been an audio-only feature thatrequires a telephone connection to a voicemail server. Traditionally, auser would receive a message waiting notification that a voicemail isavailable, and the user would then have to dial into a voicemail serverto listen to the message. Thanks to technological advances, visualvoicemail is available on many mobile communications devices. Visualvoicemail presents a visual interface to a user's voicemail box andallows the user to view attributes of voicemail and manipulate voicemailin various ways that were previously not possible. A user may delete orsave voicemail through the visual interface without having to place atelephone call to a voicemail server. A user may also be able to see whothe voicemail is from, when it was sent or received, and othercharacteristic of the voicemail without actually placing a telephonecall to a voicemail server. A user may also respond to a visualvoicemail message with a reply visual voicemail, thus enabling two waycommunication through a visual voicemail system. Visual voicemailsystems may also provide a means for a sender to include multimediacontent to accompany a voice message or to be provided instead of avoice message.

While more and more shopping is done online, physical store locationsretain the bulk of the retail market and will remain an important toolfor retailer for many reasons. Potential buyers are often shopping forphysical objects and may want to see or handle products prior topurchase. Potential buyers may also want to interact with actual storepersonnel during while shopping and purchasing goods and services.However, often the best resources to service a particular shopper maynot be available in a physical store, but may instead be more readilyavailable online or from personnel or devices that are remote to aphysical store. Therefore, what is needed in the art are systems,devices, and methods for leveraging remote and online resources during ashopping experience in a physical retail location.

SUMMARY

In-person shopping at brick-and-mortar locations remains, and is likelyto remain, the predominate form of shopping. However, the shoppingexperience may be improved by integrating the use of visual voicemailsystems. Upon entry into a physical retail location, a user device maybe detected using any of a variety of wireless technologies, and userdata may be located based upon such detection. A greeting visualvoicemail message may be generated, which may include user data and maybe personalized according to user characteristics, transmitted to theuser device. The greeting message may also include options that a usermay activate that allow the user to request various services via avisual voicemail system. In an embodiment, a user can requests salesassociate help, product information or location, associated serviceplans or accessories, etc. Alternatively, a user may request that nosales associate contact the user while the user is browsing. A requestsubmitted by a user may results in multiple remote resources beingcoordinated to service the request via a visual voicemail system whilethe user is at the retail location.

Wireless detection units, such as wireless hubs, routers, or similardevices, may be configured throughout a store or other premises and maybe associated with particular products. For example, displays ofproducts may each have a wireless device proximately configured, and thevarious wireless hubs at product displays throughout a store may worktogether to determine which is detecting the strongest signal orotherwise is most proximate to a user device. A visual voicemail messagemay then be generated based on the user device's proximity to aparticular product, for example, containing product specificinformation. Option that are specific to the product may also beincluded in the visual voicemail message, such as an option to buy theproduct, more information on the product, etc. These and other aspectsare described in more detail below and in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description of preferred embodiments is betterunderstood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For thepurposes of illustration, there is shown in the drawings exemplaryembodiments; however, the subject matter is not limited to the specificelements and instrumentalities disclosed. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a non-limiting exemplary environment in whichinteractive personalized e-Experience system using visual voicemailmethods and systems may be implemented.

FIG. 2 a illustrates a non-limiting exemplary visual voicemail contentthat may be presented to a user in an interactive personalizede-Experience system using visual voicemail.

FIG. 2 b illustrates another non-limiting exemplary visual voicemailcontent that may be presented to a user in an interactive personalizede-Experience system using visual voicemail.

FIG. 2 c illustrates another non-limiting exemplary visual voicemailcontent that may be presented to a user in an interactive personalizede-Experience system using visual voicemail.

FIG. 2 d illustrates another non-limiting exemplary visual voicemailcontent that may be presented to a user in an interactive personalizede-Experience system using visual voicemail.

FIG. 3 a non-limiting exemplary environment in which interactivepersonalized e-Experience system using visual voicemail may beimplemented.

FIG. 4 illustrates a non-limiting exemplary method for implementing aninteractive personalized e-Experience system using visual voicemail.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a non-limiting, exemplary wireless devicethat may be used in connection with interactive personalizede-Experience using visual voicemail methods and systems.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a non-limiting, exemplary processor inwhich interactive personalized e-Experience using visual voicemailmethods and systems may be implemented.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary packet-based mobile cellularnetwork environment, such as a GPRS network, in which interactivepersonalized e-Experience using visual voicemail methods and systems maybe implemented.

FIG. 8 illustrates a non-limiting, exemplary architecture of a typicalGPRS network, segmented into four groups, in which interactivepersonalized e-Experience using visual voicemail methods and systems maybe implemented.

FIG. 9 illustrates a non-limiting alternate block diagram of anexemplary GSM/GPRS/IP multimedia network architecture in whichinteractive personalized e-Experience using visual voicemail methods andsystems may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an environment in which one or more embodiments ofthe disclosed systems and methods for providing an interactivepersonalized experience using visual voicemail systems may beimplemented. User 110 may be operating wireless device 111 and may bepresent in shopping area 100. Wireless device 111 may be any type ofwireless mobile communications device, including a mobile telephone,smart phone, personal data assistant (PDA), mobile computer, wirelessemail device, or any combination thereof. Alternatively, while wirelessdevice 111 as illustrated represents wireless mobile communicationsdevices, wireless device 111 may also represent a wired device, such asa landline telephone, computer, email device, or any othercommunications device or any combination thereof. Shopping area 100 maybe any retail store, or any area, indoors and/or outdoors, whereshopping or interaction with others of any form may take place.Representative 120 may be a person employed by the owner or operator ofarea 100. Computer 125 may be configured in area 100 and may be owned oroperated by representative 120 or other employees of or peopleassociated with the owner or operator of area 100. Computer 125 may be alaptop computer, a desktop computer, a mobile computer, or any computingdevice of any type, and may be configured with any operating system,software, hardware and peripheral devices. All such embodiments arecontemplated as within the scope of the present disclosure.

Each of wireless device 111 and computer 125 may be configured tocommunicate with network 101 using any communications means. Network 101may be any type of network capable of providing wireless and/or wireddata and/or voice communications services to devices of any type.Network 101 represents any number of interconnected networks that may becomposed of any number and type of wired and/or wireless networkdevices. Network 101 may enable devices 111 and 125 to communicate withother devices accessible via network 101, including visual voicemailsystem 140, computer 155, web servers, and mobile communications devicessuch as cell phones and mobile computing devices. Such communication maybe voice, data, or a combination thereof. All such embodiments arecontemplated as within the scope of the present disclosure.

In one embodiment, each of devices 111, 125, and 155 may be configuredto access and/or communicate with visual voicemail system 140 via basestation 102, which may be any type of base station, eNodeB, or othermeans for relaying wireless communications and converting data and/orvoice messages between wireless and wired networks. Base station 102 mayfacilitate communication with network 101 for wireless device 111.Alternatively, wireless hub 103 may be configured to communicate withwireless devices such as wireless device 111, and may provide some orall of the functionality that is commonly provided by base stations.Wireless hub 103 may communicate using cellular technology or wide areawireless technology (GSM, CDMA, WIMAX, LTE, LTE Advanced, etc.) and/orlocal area wireless technology (e.g., IEEE 802.X standards, WiFi, etc.)User 110 may operate wireless device 111 to access his or her voicemaildata using a visual voicemail client configured on wireless device 111.Such a visual voicemail client may be software, hardware, or anycombination thereof. Alternatively, visual voicemail clientfunctionality may be provided by a web server and accessed by a userthrough a web browser executing, for example, on wireless device 111.Any other permutation or combination of these embodiments, and anyembodiments which provide similar functionality, are contemplated aswithin the scope of the present disclosure.

User 110 may be at area 100 in order to examine products and/or obtainmore information about goods and services provided by an owner oroperator of area 100. For example, products 131, 132, and 133 may beoffered by an owner or operator of area 100. These products may be anytype of good or service. For purposes of illustration only and notlimitation, product 131 may be a wireless device such as a mobiletelephone, product 132 may be a cable television service, and product133 may be an internet service. Any other products, goods, or services,may be offered, displayed, or otherwise associated with area 100 and/oran owner or operator of area 100, and all such embodiments arecontemplated as within the scope of the present disclosure.

The owner or operator of area 100 may detect the presence of wirelessdevice 111 within or proximate to area 100. This may be accomplished bydetecting short range wireless signals, such as a WiFi signal, fromwireless device 111 on an appropriately configured device, such aswireless hub 103. Alternatively, wireless hub 103 may be configured todetect cellular technology or wide area wireless technology, and maydetect the presence of wireless device 111 by detecting typicallycellular communications signals. In another alternative, devices withinnetwork 101 may determine or otherwise acquire location information forwireless device 111 and determine that wireless device 111 is in orproximate to area 100. For example, area 100 may be a store that isoperated or owner by the organization, company, etc., that owns andoperates network 101. Thus, a device on network 101 may be configuredwith data regarding the locations of such stores, such as e-Experiencesystem 160. Alternatively, e-Experience system 160 may be operated bythe owner or operator of the store at area 100, and may derive locationinformation for wireless device 111 from network 101 or from any othersource. Once location information is determined for wireless device 111,it can be compared to a database or other information on e-Experiencesystem 160 or any other device to determine whether wireless device 111is in or proximate to area 100. Any other method of determining thatwireless device 111 is in or proximate to area 100 may be used, and allsuch embodiments are contemplated as within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

In some embodiments, data detected from wireless device 111 or receivedautomatically or in response to a query, may be used to identifywireless device 111, user 110, and/or an account or other dataassociated with wireless device 111 or user 110. Such data may include atelephone number of wireless device 111, an International MobileSubscriber Identity (IMSI), an internet protocol (IP) address, a MediaAccess Control (MAC) address, an account number, or any other data thatmay be used to identify a user, an account, and/or a wireless device.Once identifying data is received, account, user, and/or deviceinformation may be obtained, for example by any of e-Experience system160, visual voicemail system 140, computer 125, or any devicecommunicatively connected to network 101. This obtained information maybe provided to the owner or operator of area 100 or a representativeassociated therewith, such as sales associate 120, using any means, suchas presenting such information on computer 125. Such information mayalso be used to construct and/or generate visual voicemail content forvisual voicemail messages transmitted to wireless device 111 asdescribed in further detail herein.

Upon determining that wireless device 111 is in or proximate to area100, a visual voicemail message may be generated and the message, or anotification of the message, may be transmitted to wireless device 111.The visual voicemail message may be generated by visual voicemail system140 in response to receiving a notification that wireless device is inor proximate to area 100, or in response to any other instruction tocreate and transmit such a message. The instruction to create andtransmit the message may be transmitted to visual voicemail system 140by a device dedicated to providing e-Experience communications, such ase-Experience system 160. e-Experience system 160 may provide the contentfor such a visual voicemail message, or may simply provide aninstruction to visual voicemail system 140 to provide a particularmessage type that may already be configured on visual voicemail system140. The content of such a message may include a greeting, an offer forgoods or services, a listing of specials or sales, a request to knowwhether assistance is required, or any other information.

For example, referring now to FIG. 2 a, a visual voicemail messagetransmitted to wireless device 111 may include content 201 that may bepresented to user 210 upon receipt of or request for the visualvoicemail message, in an embodiment through a locally configured visualvoicemail client or an internet accessible interface to visual voicemailsystem 140 or any other visual voicemail facilitating means. Content 201may include greeting 210. Greeting 210 may be generic in nature and maybe intended to greet any customer or potential customer entering area100. Alternatively, greeting 210 may be customized for particularcustomers that are identified by a system such as e-Experience system160. Content 201 may also include sale information 211. Sale information211 may include information on ongoing sales or specials, newlyavailable products or services, general sales information such aspricing and terms, or any other information that a merchant or operatorof an area such as area 100 may wish to convey to customers andpotential customers.

Content 201 may also include interactive content, such as interactivecontent 212. Within interactive content 212 may be controls that user110 may activate through the operation of wireless device 111, in anembodiment in conjunction with external devices such as visual voicemailserver 140 and/or e-Experience system 160. Such controls may take theform of soft buttons, virtual buttons, graphical elements mapped tophysical buttons, or any other control configured to accept user input.Such controls, when activated by a user, may allow a user to transmit arequest for a sales associate to provide assistance in person. Such arequest may then be forwarded to a device, such as computer 125 in area100, and may then be detected by a sales associate such as salesassociate 120. Note that such a request may include user 110's name,account number, or some other identifying information to make it easierto locate user 110, and/or to allow sales associate 120 to determineservices and products purchased by user 110 in the past or any otherinformation that may be useful to sales associate 120.

In order for sales associate 120 to locate wireless device 111 and user110, in one embodiment upon activation of a “Request Associate” control,wireless device 111 may receive an instruction to light an externallight, sound an alarm, activate a ringer, or any activate any othermeans that may be used to provide an externally detectable indicationthat wireless device 111 is the device operated by user 110 requestingin-store assistance. Such an instruction may be provided to wirelessdevice 111 by a visual voicemail client on wireless device 111, forexample, by the visual voicemail client executing software in responseto detecting activation of a “Request Associate” control. Alternatively,such an instruction may be transmitted to wireless device 111 from anexternal device, such as visual voicemail server 140 or e-Experiencesystem 160. In other embodiment, sales associate 120 may have beenprovided with user 110's name, and may simply ask for user 110 in area100, for example by paging user 110 or querying customers in area 100.

Note that for a control such as a “Request Associate” control, therequest generated by activation of such a control may be queued andprovided to sales associate 120 in turn, after similar requests thatwere made earlier have been serviced. In such circumstances, user 110may be notified via wireless device 111 that user 110 is, for example,second in line for assistance, or number 4 of 5 customers waiting, etc.Such a notification may be presented to user 110 via a visual voicemailmessage that is presented on a visual voicemail client or visualvoicemail interface of any type.

In an embodiment, interactive content 212 may include a control tolocate a product. Upon activation of such a control, the user may beprovided with an interface to select a product or identify a product forlocating. Another visual voicemail message may be transmitted towireless device 111 with instructions about how to locate the requestedproduct or information on where the product may be located in orproximate to area 100. For example, if user 110 is interested in product131, user 110 may be provided information that product 131 is in theright rear corner of area 100. Product information as described hereinmay also be provided to user 110 along with location information. Notethat products and/or their associated displays or display areas may havewireless hubs, such as wireless hubs 171, 172, and 173, or otherdetection means that will allow a determination that wireless device 111is proximate to such products. In an embodiment, activation of a “LocateProduct” control may activate a hot/cold system or software that, inconjunction with wireless hubs may assist user 110 in locating theproduct. For example, an indication of cold, warmer, hot, etc., may bepresented to user 110 on wireless device 111 as user 110 gets nearer toor farther from product 131. In one embodiment, a hub such as wirelesshub 171 may determine proximity by measuring signal strength or othersignal characteristics of a signal detected from wireless device 111.

In another embodiment, interactive content 212 may include a control toget product information. Upon activation of such a control, user 110 maybe provided with an interface to select a product or identify a productfor which information is desired. Another visual voicemail message maybe transmitted to wireless device 111 with information about therequested product. Note that such information may also include productlocation information as described above. Alternatively, a user may scana bar code with an appropriately configured wireless device 111, andproduct information may be obtained and provided based on the bar code.In another alternative, user 110 may operate a camera on wireless device111 and capture an image of a product which may then be used todetermine the specific product and obtain product information. Any othermeans of identifying a product about which information is desired may beused, and all such means are contemplated as within the scope of thepresent disclosure. The processes used to identify and locateinformation for a product may be implemented on any network device, suchas e-Experience system 160 or visual voicemail system 140, on wirelessdevice 111, or on any other device or any combination of devices.

In another embodiment, interactive content 212 may include a controlthat will indicate that user 110 is just browsing. Upon activation ofsuch a control, a message may be sent to a device at area 100, such ascomputer 125, that informs sales associates that user 110 does not needany assistance at the present time. After such a control is activated,the visual voicemail message may be deleted and no further interactionmay be provided via the visual voicemail system. Alternative, content201 or similar content may remain active on wireless device 111 so thatif user 110 determines that assistance or information is desired, user110 can activate another control in content 201, such as a controlwithin interactive content 212.

Rather than using controls such as those that have been described withregard to interactive content 212, user 110 may operate wireless device111 to reply to the visual voicemail message received after it has beendetermined that wireless device 111 is within or proximate to area 100.The reply composed by user 110 may indicate whether user 110 desiressales associate assistance, product information or location, or anyother information. Alternatively, the activation of controls withininteractive content 212 may generate a reply visual voicemail messagethat may then be transmitted, automatically, for example upon activationof a control, or upon user 110 instruction, to visual voicemail system140. Any other means of responding to a visual voicemail and/orobtaining user preferences and/or desires may be used, and all suchmeans are contemplated as within the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring again to FIG. 1, user 110 may be provided with information orqueried based on user 110's specific location within area 100 and/oruser 110's proximity to products within or proximate to area 100. In oneembodiment, each of products 131, 132, and 133, or product displays forsuch products, may be equipped or associated with a wireless hub such aswireless hubs 171, 172, and 173. Such wireless hubs may be incommunication with a system or device, such as computer 125,e-Experience system 160, and/or visual voicemail system 140, and mayalso be in communication with each other. By periodically measuringsignal strength and/or other characteristics of signals transmitted fromwireless device 111, these hubs, and in one embodiment wireless hub 103,may report information to computer 125, e-Experience system 160, and/orvisual voicemail system 140 that may allow such devices to determine amore precise location for wireless device 111. This may be accomplishedusing any means, including any form of triangulation. If it isdetermined that user 110 is proximate to a particular product, then avisual voicemail message may be transmitted to wireless device 111.

For example, in an embodiment, internet service product 133 may be adisplay that provides information about available internet service. Byusing signal strength measurement and triangulation techniques, computer125 or e-Experience system 160 may determine that wireless device 111 ismore proximate to product 133 than to any other product. Thus, a visualvoicemail message may be generated, in one embodiment by visualvoicemail system 140 upon instruction received from computer 125 ore-Experience system 160, that provides additional details or internetservice product specific options. This visual voicemail message may betransmitted to wireless device 111 for presentation to user 110.Likewise, if user 110 is more proximate to product 132, a visualvoicemail message may be generated that provides additional details orcable television service product specific options. Similarly, if user110 is more proximate to product 131, a visual voicemail message may begenerated that provides additional details or wireless device productspecific options. Information and option for any type of product may beconveyed using a visual voicemail system as described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 2 b, exemplary non-limiting product-specificvisual voicemail content 202 is illustrated. Greeting 220 may identifythe product to which user 110 is most proximate, allowing user 110 toidentify the product with which the additional information in content202 is associated. Product information 221 may be provided with content202. Product information 221 may include basic product information thatmay of interest to the largest number of shoppers, such as price,contract requirements, major hardware, etc. For product such as internetservice, cable television service, or cellular service, details such asprogramming options, available bandwidth, number of minutes of use,charges per minute, etc. may be provided in product information 221.Note also that customer specific information may also be presented. Ifuser 110, identified upon entry in area 100 as described above, has anycharacteristics or a customer profile that is especially applicable to aproduct to which user 110 is currently more proximate, a messageproviding specific information for user 110 may be presented. Forexample, user 110 may have a cellular service contract that allows user110 to purchase certain wireless devices for half price after a periodof the contract has expired. If it is determined, for example bycomputer 125 or e-Experience system 160, that the product proximate touser 110 is one of the qualifying half price devices, productinformation 221 may include a notification to that effect. Any otherinformation, generic or customer or user specific, may be presented inproduct information 221.

Content 202 may also include interactive content, such as interactivecontent 222. Within interactive content 222 may be controls that user110 may activate through the operation of wireless device 111, in anembodiment in conjunction with external devices such as visual voicemailserver 140 and/or e-Experience system 160. Such controls may take theform of soft buttons, virtual buttons, graphical elements mapped tophysical buttons, or any other control configured to accept user input.Such controls, when activated by a user, may allow a user to transmit arequest for a sales associate to provide assistance regarding theproduct proximate to user 110 in person. Such a request may then beforwarded to a device, such as computer 125 in area 100, may includeinformation identifying the particular product proximate to user 110,and may be detected by a sales associate such as sales associate 120,who may provide assistance in person or locate a sales associate whospecializes or has been trained in the particular product proximate touser 110. Note that such a request may include user 110's name, accountnumber, or some other identifying information to make it easier tolocate user 110, and/or to allow sales associate 120 to determineservices and products purchased by user 110 in the past or any otherinformation that may be useful to sales associate 120. Alternatively,any of the customer locating means and methods described above withregard to FIG. 2 a may also be implemented.

In another embodiment, interactive content 222 may include a control toget additional product information. Upon activation of such a control,user 110 may be provided with additional information and/or a webpage orlink to a web site with additional information on the product to whichuser 110 is most proximate. Another visual voicemail message may betransmitted to wireless device 111 with such information or links aboutthe requested product. The processes used to identify and locateadditional information for a product may be implemented on any networkdevice, such as e-Experience system 160 or visual voicemail system 140,on wireless device 111, or on any other device or any combination ofdevices.

In an embodiment, interactive content 222 may include a control to getinformation related to services available for the product to which user110 is most proximate. For example, if user 110 is most proximate to awireless device, a control may be presented in interactive content 222that allows user 110 to request information about wireless service plansthat are available to service the wireless device. Upon activation ofsuch a control, user 110 may be provided with information and/or awebpage or link to a web site with information on the plans or productsrelated to the product to which user 110 is most proximate. Anothervisual voicemail message may be transmitted to wireless device 111 withsuch information or links about the related plans or products. Theprocesses used to identify and locate related plan or productinformation for a product may be implemented on any network device, suchas e-Experience system 160 or visual voicemail system 140, on wirelessdevice 111, or on any other device or any combination of devices.

In another embodiment, interactive content 222 may include a control topurchase the product to which user 110 is most proximate. Uponactivation of such a control, user 110 may be provided with instructionon how to purchase the product, for instance, location information for acash register or sales associate. Alternatively, upon activation of sucha control, user 110 may be provided with an interface on wireless device111 that allows user 110 to pay for the product by using wireless device111. Such an interface may be generated automatically on wireless device111 in response to activation of such a control, or a visual voicemailmessage may be generated and transmitted to wireless device 111containing a payment interface or a link to such an interface. Forexample, a website payment interface may be generated and presented touser 110 allowing user 110 to pay for the product and therefore avoidlines at a cash register or having to pay in the store at area 100. Ineither of these embodiments, activation of a “Purchase” control maygenerate a message that is sent to a device in area 100, such ascomputer 125, that notified a sales associate, such as sales associate120, that user 110 wants to purchase or has purchased a product, therebyallowing the sales associate to obtain a physical product, orinformation, documentation, etc. related to a service or non-physicalproduct, and provide such to user 110 without requiring user 110 tofirst track down the sales associate. The processes used allow acustomer to purchase a product and/or notify a sales associate of intentto purchase or completion of a purchase of a product may be implementedon any network device, such as e-Experience system 160 or visualvoicemail system 140, on wireless device 111, or on any other device orany combination of devices.

In some embodiments, a visual voicemail message transmitted to wirelessdevice 111 upon detection of wireless device 111 within or proximate toarea 100 may include personalized options. This may be enabled bydetermining the user or device identity, account, or other dataassociated with wireless device 111 upon detecting the device. Referringnow to FIG. 2 c, a personalized visual voicemail message that mayinclude content 203 may be presented to user 110 via a visual voicemailclient or an internet accessible interface to visual voicemail system140 or any other visual voicemail facilitating means. Content 203 mayinclude a greeting 230 comprising identifying information for user 110,such as the user's name, that allows the message to be more personal.Content 203 may also include user-, device-, and/or account-specificinformation 231. Specific information 231 may include any informationthat may of use to a user, such a number of minutes remaining in awireless service plan, any outstanding balance due and associated duedates, types of devices included in the account, available upgrades andoptions specifically for the account of the user, etc.

Content 203 may also include interactive content, such as interactivecontent 232. Within interactive content 232 may be controls that user110 may activate through the operation of wireless device 111, in anembodiment in conjunction with external devices such as visual voicemailserver 140 and/or e-Experience system 160. Such controls may take theform of any control as described herein, and may function in any manneras described herein. Such controls may include any control describedherein such as a “Request Associate” control, a “Locate Product”control, a “Get Product Information” control, and a “Just Browsing”control.

In some embodiment, the controls of interactive content 232 may includebill payment controls. Bill payment controls may allow user 110 to payan outstanding balance using wireless device 111 by selecting a “PayBill Online” control, in some embodiments using any payment interface asdescribed herein, including software executing on wireless device 111and a web-based interface accessed via wireless device 111.Alternatively, area 100 may be configured with devices that allowcustomer payment using wireless devices. For example, computer 125 mayprovide payment functionality through a WiFi network to allow shortrange wireless devices to make payments. Alternatively, computer 125 orany other device at area 100 may interact with wireless device 111 viashort range wireless signals to allow wireless device 111 to accesspayment servers or devices via network 101. Any method and means ofproviding a payment interface is contemplated as within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

A bill payment control may also allow user 110 to pay a bill in personat area 100. For example, activation of a “Pay Bill in Store” controlmay generate a message that notifies staff on the premises, such assales associate 120, that user 110 wishes to make a payment. Here again,such requests may be queued, and user 110 may be notified in asubsequent visual voicemail message that user 110 is in a queue and user110's position in such a queue. Alternatively, activation of a “Pay Billin Store” control may allow sales associate 120 to have user 110'sinformation at hand when user 110 approaches to make a payment. Anyother means of organizing and arranging bill payment using systems andmethods as described herein are contemplated as within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

Note that a user profile of user 110 may be used to determine the datathat is to be included in personalized visual voicemail generated upondetection of, for example, wireless device 111 within or proximate toarea 100. The user profile may or may not include user configurablepreferences, and may be stored on any device or multiple devices,including wireless device 111, e-Experience system 160, and/or visualvoicemail system 140. For example, in one embodiment, a user profile mayinclude an indicator of an outstanding bill or payment due. Where theindicator indicates that a payment is due, information regarding thepayment may be included in a personalized visual voicemail generatedupon detection of wireless device 110. Alternatively, where theindicator indicates that now payment is presently or soon due, suchbilling information may be excluded from a generated personalized visualvoicemail message. In other embodiments, user 110 may have a serviceplan that allows for unlimited usage of wireless service, in which casea personalized visual voicemail generated upon detection of wirelessdevice 111 may contain no information regarding a number of remainingminutes of wireless service. Alternatively, if user 110 has a serviceplan with a limited number of minutes per month available, the remainingnumber of minutes may be presented in a personalized visual voicemailmessage.

User profiles may also include information relating to specific devicesowned or operated by a user. For example, wireless device 111 may be awireless device that is compatible or configured with a first visualvoicemail client that supports certain media types. The user profile foruser 110 may indicate that visual voicemail messages intended forpresentation on wireless device 111 must not include content that is notsupported by the visual voicemail client configured on wireless device111. Alternatively, wireless device 111 may not support certain types ofmedia, and the user profile for user 110 may indicate that no visualvoicemail messages included unsupported media types should be generatedfor presentation on wireless device 111. Any other characteristicsand/or configurations of wireless device 111 and/or other devices may beincluded in a user profile and used to generate visual voicemailmessages, and all such embodiments are contemplated as within the scopeof the present disclosure.

In embodiments where a user profile may include user-configurablepreferences, user 110 may configure a system, such as e-Experiencesystem 160 or visual voicemail system 140, with user preferences forvisual voicemail communications. For example, user 110 may operate avisual voicemail client or another interface to e-Experience system 160or visual voicemail system 140 configured on wireless device 111 oranother device to set user preferences specifying the data that is to beincluded in personalized visual voicemail generated upon detection of,for example, wireless device 111 within or proximate to area 100. User110 may set a preference to be greeted with remaining minutes in acellular service plan, payment due dates, payment due amounts, currentstatus of account, applicable coupons and/or sales, identification ofdevices covered on a cellular service plan, a summary of all servicesbeing purchased by user 110 from an owner or operator of area 100, etc.Any information may be included in a personalized visual voicemailmessage, and any such information may be user configurable. All suchembodiments are contemplated as within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

Because visual voicemail systems may allow multimedia content to bedistributed and presented to users, visual voicemail messages may beused to present content in various formats. For example, referring nowto FIG. 2 d, if user 110 selected an option in a previously receivedvoicemail to locate a particular product, user 110 may receive asubsequent visual voicemail message including content 204. Content 204may include a greeting such as greeting 240 that may include any contentas described herein, including personalized content. Content 204 mayalso include information 241 that may request that user 110 select anoption from available interactive content 242 controls. For example,information 241 may acknowledge that user 110 has previously selected acontrol requesting the location of a particular product or servicewithin area 100 and request that user 110 select from among the controlsof interactive content 242 the form in which user 110 would like toreceive directions to the requested location. Interactive content 242may include a control for receiving text directions, which, whenactivated by user 110, may generate a reply visual voicemail messagethat may be transmitted to visual voicemail system 140 and/ore-Experience system 160 that instructs visual voicemail system 140and/or e-Experience system to transmit a visual voicemail message towireless device 111 containing text directions to the location of therequested product or service within area 100.

Alternatively, content 204 may be contain, or be associated with, one ormore of the forms of directions offered in interactive content 242, andmay simply present such directions upon activation of the correspondingcontrol. For example, interactive content 242 may include an option toobtain audio directions (e.g., automated voice directions) and content204 and/or the visual voicemail message with which content 204 isassociated may also include an audio file containing the audiodirections. Upon detection of the activation of such a control, wirelessdevice 111, and/or the visual voicemail client configured thereon, mayactivate a program, software, hardware, or a combination thereof toexecute the audio file. Similarly, video directions may be available andmay be stored locally on wireless device 111 for execution or may bestored remotely. Alternatively, directions in any form may not begenerated at all until a form of directions is selected, therebyreducing resource usage by only generated directions in the form that isactually requested by user 110.

Note that rather than selecting a form of directions, user 110 may haveselected a user preference, or a preference may be configured by defaultor otherwise limited, to have directions presented, in one embodimentautomatically, in a particular form. For example, user 110 may haveconfigured a user preference that directions should always be presentedin text form. Alternatively, visual voicemail system 140 and/ore-Experience system 160 may be configured to automatically providelocation directions in a particular format by default. Note that anyinformation presented to user 110 in a visual voicemail message may bein any media type, and user 110 may be presented with the option toobtain any information in any media type available. User preferencesand/or defaults may be used for media types and particular informationtypes. Also note that any content presented to user 110, such as content204, may include options to cancel the associated activity or to requestthe assistance of an associate. Any default or always-present optionsand/or controls may be configured on visual voicemail messages. All suchembodiments are contemplated as within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 3, multiple employees or others associated with avendor or provider of goods and/or services may collaborate in order toservice a customers. User 310 may be operating wireless device 311 thatmay be configured with a visual voicemail client having certaincapabilities. Wireless device 311 may be configured to communicate withnetwork 301, which may be any type of wired, wireless, or combination ofwired and wireless network. Network 301 may facilitate communicationbetween various devices, such as wireless device 311, visual voicemailsystem 340, e-Experience system 360, and vendor computers 325 and 355.User 310 may operate wireless device 311 to request a service, data,information, etc. from a service provider or vendor using a visualvoicemail system.

For example, user 310 may have been presented with a visual voicemailmessage that includes interactive content that allows user 310 torequest more information about a product via activation of a control.Upon activation of a “Get Product Information” control, a visualvoicemail message requesting product information may be generated andtransmitted to e-Experience system 360, or e-Experience system 360 mayotherwise be notified that user 310 desires further product information.e-Experience system 360 may be configured, in an embodiment, to provide,in response to such a request, product specifications, product pricing,information on service plans for such a product, and locationinformation for the product. Location information may include thelocation of the product within a particular store, such as area 100 ofFIG. 1, or a listing of one or more stores that carry the product. Inorder to gather this information, e-Experience system 360 may requestsuch information from multiple sources. For example, e-Experience system360 may request product specification and prices from agent 320 viacomputer 325, where agent 320 may be employed in a product group of anorganization. e-Experience system 360 may also request service planinformation and location information for the product from agent 350 viacomputer 355, where agent 350 may be employed by a regional managementgroup or service plan group of an organization.

Agents 320 and 350 may operate their respective computers to generateseparate visual voicemail messages for transmittal to wireless device311 in response to receiving the request for information frome-Experience system 360. Alternatively, agents 320 and 350 may eachtransmit the requested information to e-Experience system 360, which maythen gather and integrate the information into a single visual voicemailmessage that is then sent to wireless device 311. Agents 320 and 350 mayalso communicate with one another or otherwise work in a collaborativeto address a customer request. For example, if user 310 is requestingtechnical support rather than product information, agent 320 researchhandset issues for wireless device 311 while agent 350 may researchnetwork issues that may affect wireless device 311. The results of suchresearch may separately be transmitted to wireless device 311 or may begathered into a single communication and transmitted to wireless device311 as a single visual voicemail message. Additional agents may workcollaboratively to address customer issues and any alternativearrangement for receiving customer requests, addressing such requests,and responding to such requests may be implemented. All such embodimentsare contemplated as within the scope of the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, visual voicemail messages may be available onmultiple devices. For example, user 310 may have recently visited aservice provider or vendor premises, such as area 100 of FIG. 1. Whileat the premises, user 310 may have requested video information about adevice that user 310 may be considering for purchase. User 310 maydecide to return home, for example to area 300, and view the video. Whenat area 300, user 310 may desire to view the video information on analternative device other than wireless device 311, for example becausethe screen on wireless device 311 is much smaller than that on user'scomputer 313 and user's television 312.

In one embodiment, one or both of user's computer 313 and user'stelevision 312 may be configured with a visual voicemail client thatenables such devices to communicate with visual voicemail system 340and/or e-Experience system 360. Also, one or both of visual voicemailsystem 340 and/or e-Experience system 360 may be configured tocommunicate using network 301. User 310 may then operate either ofuser's computer 313 and user's television 312, and a visual voicemailclient configured thereon, to retrieve the visual voicemail containingthe video information from visual voicemail system 340 and/ore-Experience system 360 and view the video information on user'scomputer 313 or user's television 312.

Alternatively, rather than each of user's computer 313 and user'stelevision 312 having a visual voicemail client, these devices maycommunicate directly or indirectly with wireless device 311, which maytransmit the visual voicemail message in its entirety or just the videoinformation portion of the visual voicemail message directly to eitheruser's computer 313 or user's television 312, or both. User's computer313, user's television 312, and/or wireless device 311 may be configuredwith near-field or short range wireless functionality, such as WiFi,Bluetooth®, etc., and may communicate directly with one another usingsuch technology. Alternatively, either user's computer 313 or user'stelevision 312 may be hardwired to a local area network configured inarea 300, and a wireless communications hub or router may also beconfigured on such a network allowing wireless device 311 to communicatewith user's computer 313 and/or user's television 312 via such a hub orrouter. In yet another embodiment, user 310 may establish a hardwiredconnection between either user's computer 313 or user's television 312and wireless device 311, and communication between such devices may takeplace over the hardwired connection. Once the video information isloaded or otherwise configured for viewing on user's computer 313 oruser's television 312, user 310 may then watch the video information onthe device in which it is loaded. Note that any information can betransferred, transmitted, or otherwise made available to any alternativedevice using any effective means, and all such embodiments arecontemplated as within the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary, non-limiting method 400 of implementingthe disclosed subject matter. Note that one or more of the actionsperformed in method 400 may be performed without performing the otheractions disclosed, and any combination of the actions disclosed inmethod 400 may be performed in any order. The actions of method 400 maybe performed by one or more devices operating separately or incombination. The action of method 400 may be embodied in instructionscontained on computer-readable media, including non-transitory mediasuch as computer-readable disks, memory, other computer-readable storagedevices, etc.

At block 410, a wireless device operated by a customer, prospectivecustomer, or any other person on a premises may be detected by an entityimplementing the present subject matter may be detected. Such detectionmay take any form as described herein, including detecting short rangeor near-field communication attempts or queries, or any other effectivemeans of wirelessly detecting a device. Including in block 410 may be adetermination, extraction, derivation, or other means of obtaining user,device, account, or other identifying information from detected signals.For example, a MAC address or IMSI may be detected in a wireless devicesignal and extracted for use in other activities, such as at block 415.Note that the detection at block 410 may instead be the detection of theuser wireless device as being most proximate to a particular product orproduct display as described above. Thus, a wireless hub or similarlyconfigured device may determine, in one embodiment working cooperativelywith other wireless hubs and/or other devices in an area, that thedetected wireless device is most proximate to the wireless hub. This mayaffect the content of visual voicemail messages transmitted to the userdevice at other blocks of method 400.

At block 415, customer data and/or preferences may be determined, in oneembodiment using customer, user, account, device, or other identifyingdata derived from a signal detected at block 410. This may be performedby looking up customer preferences and data in a database based on theidentifying data. Customer preferences may include any preferencesdescribed herein, or any other preferences that a user or anyoneassociated with an account may provide. Alternatively, user preferencesmay be set to defaults or hard coded to specific values and may not bechangeable by a user. Customer data determined may include accountnumbers, balances, payments due, due dates, or any other account,customer, device, and/or user data that may be presented to a user invisual voicemail message, or used in any manner in connection with anyembodiment disclosed herein. In other embodiments, no customer or userspecific data may be determined. Alternatively, customer data orpreferences may include, or may be limited to, a product or productdisplay that is most proximate to the user device compared to otherdisplays or products in the area. Thus, if it is determined that a userwireless device is most proximate to a particular wireless hub orsimilar device, the determination at block 415 may be a determination ofthe particular one or more products and/or services that are associatedwith the particular wireless hub or device.

At block 420, a visual voicemail message may be generated andtransmitted. In one embodiment, a generic greeting message may betransmitted to any user device that has been detected. Alternatively, apersonalized visual voicemail message may be generated, in an embodimentusing data determined at block 415, and transmitted to a user device.Such a personalized or generic visual voicemail message may include anygreetings, information, data, interactive content, controls, and/oroptions as described herein, or any other elements that may be includedin a visual voicemail message. In another embodiment, the content of thevisual voicemail message may include product and/or service specificinformation based on the wireless device of the user being mostproximate to a particular products) and/or service(s). Such product datamay be combined with user-specific data and/or other data to generatecontent for the visual voicemail message.

At block 425, a response to the message transmitted at block 420 may bedetected. Such a response message may be analyzed and the appropriatenext steps may be determined For example, a response message mayindicate the desire on the part of a user to locate a particular productor service, purchase a particular product or service, or to obtainfurther information on a particular product or service. In someembodiments, the response message may be a request for information onassociated services or products, accessories, plans, etc. that may berelated in any way to a particular product or service. Alternatively, aresponse message may indicate a user's desire to speak with a salesassociate or to pay a bill. The response message received and analyzedat block 425 may be any type of message as described herein or any othertype of message or communication than may be received in response to avisual voicemail message.

At block 430 a determination may be made as to whether an in-storeassociate should be notified. For example, the response at block 425 maybe a response requesting sales associate assistance or a request to paya bill in person at a store. Alternatively, the response received atblock 425 may not specifically indicate a desire to speak to a salesassociate, but instead may contain data or information that a system,such as any of the e-Experience systems disclosed herein, determinesshould trigger a notification to an in-store associate. For example, auser may have responded to the visual voicemail of block 420 byrequesting to cancel an account or return a product previouslypurchased. In some embodiments, a system may be configured toautomatically notify a sales associate when such messages are detected.Any criteria for determining whether a sales associate or otherpersonnel should be notified may be used, and all such embodiments arecontemplated as within the scope of the present disclosure. At block435, a sales associate or other personnel is notified using any means.

At block 440, a determination may be made as to whether one or moreresources external to a system (e.g., an e-Experience system) areneeded. For example, an e-Experience system may need to collect accountstatus information or product details from another system in order toresponse to a user response message received at block 425. Multipleresources may be needed as disclosed herein, such as when two or moreagents of a provider or vendor work cooperatively to gather informationthat will be used to response to a user request. The data may begathered, received, or otherwise obtained in any manner at block 445.Alternatively, no data may be needed from any external sources, and alldata may be locally stored or obtained, for example locally stored on ane-Experience system.

Regardless of the manner of obtaining data for a response visualvoicemail message, at block 450, a response visual voicemail message maybe generated and transmitted, directly or via a visual voicemail system,to the user device. The visual voicemail message may contain any datagathered at blocks 445 or otherwise, and may also include standard ordefault information. Any other formatting or message generation actionsmay also be performed at block 450.

At block 455, a determination is made as to whether any other requestsor response to the generated response visual voicemail of block 450 havebeen detected or received. If so, method 400 may return to block 425 toanalyze the additional message(s) and perform whatever actions may bedesired. Alternatively, any other actions not listed may be taken,and/or any actions of method 400 may be performed in isolation or in anycombination. If no additional messages or requests have been receivedfrom a user, a system may await such additional messages or requests, ora system may determine that a communications session with a user iscomplete, for example, after a period of time has elapsed withoutcontact from a user device. Any other means of terminating method 400may be used and all such means are contemplated as within the scope ofthe present disclosure.

The methods and systems described above provide ways to improve acustomer experience by integrating the physical shopping experience withthe virtual shopping experience. By implementing the present disclosure,the user experience is improved due to an increase in response time andthe quantity and quality of information available to a user. Set forthbelow are exemplary systems, devices, and components in which aspects ofthe present disclosure may be implemented.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example wireless device 1010 that may be used inconnection with an embodiment. References will also be made to otherfigures of the present disclosure as appropriate. For example, wirelessdevices 111 and 311 may each be a wireless device of the type describedin regard to FIG. 5, and may have some, all, or none of the componentsand modules described in regard to FIG. 5. It will be appreciated thatthe components and modules of wireless device 1010 illustrated in FIG. 5are illustrative, and that any number and type of components and/ormodules may be present in wireless device 1010. In addition, thefunctions performed by any or all of the components and modulesillustrated in FIG. 5 may be performed by any number of physicalcomponents. Thus, it is possible that in some embodiments thefunctionality of more than one component and/or module illustrated inFIG. 5 may be performed by any number or types of hardware and/orsoftware.

Processor 1021 may be any type of circuitry that performs operations onbehalf of wireless device 1010. In one embodiment, processor 1021executes software (e.g., computer-readable instructions stored in acomputer-readable medium) that may include functionality related tosystems and methods for an interactive personalized e-Experience usingvisual voicemail, for example. User interface module 1022 may be anytype or combination of hardware and/or software that enables a user tooperate and interact with wireless device 1010, and, in one embodiment,to interact with a system or software enabling the user to place,request, and/or receive calls, visual voicemail messages, visualvoicemail notifications, visual voicemail content and/or data, and/or asystem or software enabling the user to view, modify, or delete relatedsoftware objects. For example, user interface module 1022 may include adisplay, physical and/or “soft” keys, voice recognition software,microphone, speaker and the like. Wireless communication module 1023 maybe any type of transceiver including any combination of hardware and/orsoftware that enables wireless device 1010 to communicate with wirelessnetwork equipment, for example, networks 101 and 301, visual voicemailsystems 140 and 340, e-Experience systems 160 and 360, or any other typeof wireless communications network or network equipment. Memory 1024enables wireless device 1010 to store information, such as visualvoicemail notifications, visual voicemail client software, visualvoicemail data and/or content, multimedia content, software to interactwith visual voicemail systems and network devices, and visual voicemailpreferences and configurations. Memory 1024 may take any form, such asinternal random access memory (RAM), an SD card, a microSD card and thelike. Power supply 1025 may be a battery or other type of power input(e.g., a charging cable that is connected to an electrical outlet, etc.)that is capable of powering wireless device 1010. SIM 1026 may be anytype Subscriber Identity Module and may be configured on a removable ornon-removable SIM card that allows wireless device 1010 to store data onSIM 1026.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example processor 1158 which may beemployed in any of the embodiments described herein, including as one ormore components of wireless devices 111 and 311, visual voicemailsystems 140 and 340, e-Experience systems 160 and 360, computers 125,155, 325, and 355, as one or more components of network equipment orrelated equipment, such as any component shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and/oras one or more components of any third party system or subsystem thatmay implement any portion of the subject matter described herein. It isemphasized that the block diagram depicted in FIG. 6 is exemplary andnot intended to imply a specific implementation. Thus, the processor1158 can be implemented in a single processor or multiple processors.Multiple processors can be distributed or centrally located. Multipleprocessors can communicate wirelessly, via hard wire, or a combinationthereof.

As depicted in FIG. 6, the processor 1158 comprises a processing portion1160, a memory portion 1162, and an input/output portion 1164. Theprocessing portion 1160, memory portion 1162, and input/output portion1164 are coupled together (coupling not shown in FIG. 6) to allowcommunications between these portions. The input/output portion 1164 iscapable of providing and/or receiving components, commands, and/orinstructions, utilized to, for example, establish and terminate visualvoicemail data communications, transmit and receive visual voicemailnotifications, credentials, requests for credentials, transmit, receive,store and process visual voicemail data and/or content, execute softwareto interact with visual voicemail systems and e-Experience systems,receive and store visual voicemail preferences and configurations,and/or perform any other function described herein.

The processor 1158 can be implemented as a client processor and/or aserver processor. In a basic configuration, the processor 1158 mayinclude at least one processing portion 1160 and memory portion 1162.The memory portion 1162 can store any information utilized inconjunction with transmitting, receiving, and/or processing visualvoicemail, visual voicemail data and/or content, calls, other telephoniccommunications, etc. For example, the memory portion is capable ofstoring visual voicemail preferences, visual voicemail applications,visual voicemail credentials, and/or software capable of processing callrequests, operating a visual voicemail client, receiving calls,processing visual voicemail and multimedia content, etc. Depending uponthe exact configuration and type of processor, the memory portion 1162can be volatile (such as RAM) 1166, non-volatile (such as ROM, flashmemory, etc.) 1168, or a combination thereof. The processor 1158 canhave additional features/functionality. For example, the processor 1158can include additional storage (removable storage 1170 and/ornon-removable storage 1172) including, but not limited to, magnetic oroptical disks, tape, flash, smart cards or a combination thereof.Computer storage media, such as memory and storage elements 1162, 1170,1172, 1166, and 1168, include volatile and nonvolatile, removable andnon-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storageof information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures,program modules, or other data. Computer storage media include, but arenot limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memorytechnology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other opticalstorage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage orother magnetic storage devices, universal serial bus (USB) compatiblememory, smart cards, or any other medium which can be used to store thedesired information and which can be accessed by the processor 1158. Anysuch computer storage media may be part of the processor 1158.

The processor 1158 can also contain the communications connection(s)1180 that allow the processor 1158 to communicate with other devices,for example through network equipment as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.Communications connection(s) 1180 is an example of communication media.Communication media typically embody computer-readable instructions,data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated datasignal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includesany information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means asignal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed insuch a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example,and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as awired network or direct-wired connection as might be used with a landline telephone, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared,cellular, and other wireless media. The term computer-readable media asused herein includes both storage media and communication media. Theprocessor 1158 also may have input device(s) 1176 such as keyboard,keypad, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc. Outputdevice(s) 1174 such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. also may beincluded.

The networks illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 may comprise any appropriatetelephony radio network, or any other type of communications network,wireline or wireless, or any combination thereof. The followingdescription sets forth some exemplary telephony radio networks, such asthe global system for mobile communications (GSM), and non-limitingoperating environments. The below-described operating environmentsshould be considered non-exhaustive, however, and thus thebelow-described network architectures merely show how systems andmethods for an interactive personalized e-Experience using visualvoicemail may be implemented with stationary and non-stationary networkstructures and architectures in order to improve the shoppingexperience. It can be appreciated, however, that systems and methods foran interactive personalized e-Experience using visual voicemail such asthose described herein can be incorporated with existing and/or futurealternative architectures for communication networks as well.

The GSM is one of the most widely utilized wireless access systems intoday's fast growing communication environment. The GSM providescircuit-switched data services to subscribers, such as mobile telephoneor computer users. The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), which is anextension to GSM technology, introduces packet switching to GSMnetworks. The GPRS uses a packet-based wireless communication technologyto transfer high and low speed data and signaling in an efficientmanner. The GPRS attempts to optimize the use of network and radioresources, thus enabling the cost effective and efficient use of GSMnetwork resources for packet mode applications.

The exemplary GSM/GPRS environment and services described herein alsocan be extended to 3G services, such as Universal Mobile TelephoneSystem (UMTS), Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) and Time DivisionDuplexing (TDD), High Speed Packet Data Access (HSPDA), cdma2000 1xEvolution Data Optimized (EVDO), Code Division Multiple Access-2000(cdma2000 3x), Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access(TD-SCDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), EnhancedData GSM Environment (EDGE), International MobileTelecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000), Digital Enhanced CordlessTelecommunications (DECT), 4G Services such as Long Term Evolution(LTE), LTE Advanced, etc., as well as to other network services. In thisregard, the systems and methods for an interactive personalizede-Experience using visual voicemail may be applied independently of themethod of data transport, and do not depend on any particular networkarchitecture, or underlying protocols.

FIG. 7 depicts an overall block diagram of an exemplary packet-basedmobile cellular network environment, such as a GPRS network, in whichthe systems and methods for an interactive personalized e-Experienceusing visual voicemail such as those described herein can be practiced.In an example configuration, networks 101 and 301 as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 3 may be encompassed by or interact with the networkenvironment depicted in FIG. 7. Similarly, wireless devices 111 and 311may communicate or interact with a network environment such as thatdepicted in FIG. 7. In such an environment, there may be a plurality ofBase Station Subsystems (BSS) 900 (only one is shown), each of whichcomprises a Base Station Controller (BSC) 902 serving a plurality ofBase Transceiver Stations (BTS) such as BTSs 904, 906, and 908. BTSs904, 906, 908, etc. are the access points where users of packet-basedmobile devices (e.g., wireless devices 111 and 311) become connected tothe wireless network. In exemplary fashion, the packet trafficoriginating from user devices (e.g., wireless devices 111 and 311) maybe transported via an over-the-air interface to a BTS 908, and from theBTS 908 to the BSC 902. Base station subsystems, such as BSS 900, may bea part of internal frame relay network 910 that can include Service GPRSSupport Nodes (SGSN) such as SGSN 912 and 914. Each SGSN may beconnected to an internal packet network 920 through which a SGSN 912,914, etc. may route data packets to and from a plurality of gateway GPRSsupport nodes (GGSN) 922, 924, 926, etc. As illustrated, SGSN 914 andGGSNs 922, 924, and 926 may be part of internal packet network 920.Gateway GPRS serving nodes 922, 924 and 926 may provide an interface toexternal Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as Public Land MobileNetwork (PLMN) 950, corporate intranets 940, or Fixed-End System (FES)or the public Internet 930. As illustrated, subscriber corporate network940 may be connected to GGSN 924 via firewall 932, and PLMN 950 may beconnected to GGSN 924 via border gateway router 934. The RemoteAuthentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server 942 may be used forcaller authentication when a user of a mobile cellular device callscorporate network 940.

Generally, there can be four different cell sizes in a GSM network,referred to as macro, micro, pico, and umbrella cells. The coverage areaof each cell is different in different environments. Macro cells may beregarded as cells in which the base station antenna is installed in amast or a building above average roof top level. Micro cells are cellswhose antenna height is under average roof top level. Micro-cells may betypically used in urban areas. Pico cells are small cells having adiameter of a few dozen meters. Pico cells may be used mainly indoors.On the other hand, umbrella cells may be used to cover shadowed regionsof smaller cells and fill in gaps in coverage between those cells.

FIG. 8 illustrates an architecture of a typical GPRS network segmentedinto four groups: users 1050, radio access network 1060, core network1070, and interconnect network 1080. Users 1050 may comprise a pluralityof end users (though only mobile subscriber 1055 is shown in FIG. 8). Inan example embodiment, the device depicted as mobile subscriber 1055 maycomprise any of wireless devices 111 and 311. Radio access network 1060comprises a plurality of base station subsystems such as BSSs 1062,which include BTSs 1064 and BSCs 1066. Core network 1070 comprises ahost of various network elements. As illustrated here, core network 1070may comprise Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 1071, Service Control Point(SCP) 1072, gateway MSC 1073, SGSN 1076, Home Location Register (HLR)1074, Authentication Center (AuC) 1075, Domain Name Server (DNS) 1077,and GGSN 1078. Interconnect network 1080 may also comprise a host ofvarious networks and other network elements. As illustrated in FIG. 8,interconnect network 1080 may comprise Public Switched Telephone Network(PSTN) 1082, Fixed-End System (FES) or Internet 1084, firewall 1088, andCorporate Network 1089.

A mobile switching center may be connected to a large number of basestation controllers. At MSC 1071, for instance, depending on the type oftraffic, the traffic may be separated in that voice may be sent toPublic Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 1082 through Gateway MSC (GMSC)1073, and/or data may be sent to SGSN 1076, which then sends the datatraffic to GGSN 1078 for further forwarding.

When MSC 1071 receives call traffic, for example, from BSC 1066, it maysend a query to a database hosted by SCP 1072. The SCP 1072 may processthe request and may issue a response to MSC 1071 so that it may continuecall processing as appropriate.

The HLR 1074 may be a centralized database for users to register to theGPRS network. HLR 1074 may store static information about thesubscribers such as the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI),subscribed services, visual voicemail user preferences, and/or a key forauthenticating the subscriber. HLR 1074 may also store dynamicsubscriber information such as the current location of the mobilesubscriber. HLR 1074 may also serve to intercept and determine thevalidity of destination numbers in messages sent from a device, such asmobile subscriber 1055, as described herein. Associated with HLR 1074may be AuC 1075. AuC 1075 may be a database that contains the algorithmsfor authenticating subscribers and may include the associated keys forencryption to safeguard the user input for authentication.

In the following, depending on context, the term “mobile subscriber”sometimes refers to the end user and sometimes to the actual portabledevice, such as wireless devices 111 and 311, used by an end user of amobile cellular service or a wireless provider. When a mobile subscriberturns on his or her mobile device, the mobile device may go through anattach process by which the mobile device attaches to an SGSN of theGPRS network. In FIG. 8, when mobile subscriber 1055 initiates theattach process by turning on the network capabilities of the mobiledevice, an attach request may be sent by mobile subscriber 1055 to SGSN1076. The SGSN 1076 queries another SGSN, to which mobile subscriber1055 was attached before, for the identity of mobile subscriber 1055.Upon receiving the identity of mobile subscriber 1055 from the otherSGSN, SGSN 1076 may request more information from mobile subscriber1055. This information may be used to authenticate mobile subscriber1055 to SGSN 1076 by HLR 1074. Once verified, SGSN 1076 sends a locationupdate to HLR 1074 indicating the change of location to a new SGSN, inthis case SGSN 1076. HLR 1074 may notify the old SGSN, to which mobilesubscriber 1055 was attached before, to cancel the location process formobile subscriber 1055. HLR 1074 may then notify SGSN 1076 that thelocation update has been performed. At this time, SGSN 1076 sends anAttach Accept message to mobile subscriber 1055, which in turn sends anAttach Complete message to SGSN 1076.

After attaching itself to the network, mobile subscriber 1055 may thengo through the authentication process. In the authentication process,SGSN 1076 may send the authentication information to HLR 1074, which maysend information back to SGSN 1076 based on the user profile that waspart of the user's initial setup. The SGSN 1076 may then send a requestfor authentication and ciphering to mobile subscriber 1055. The mobilesubscriber 1055 may use an algorithm to send the user identification(ID) and password to SGSN 1076. The SGSN 1076 may use the same algorithmand compares the result. If a match occurs, SGSN 1076 authenticatesmobile subscriber 1055.

Next, the mobile subscriber 1055 may establish a user session with thedestination network, corporate network 1089, by going through a PacketData Protocol (PDP) activation process. Briefly, in the process, mobilesubscriber 1055 may request access to the Access Point Name (APN), forexample, UPS.com, and SGSN 1076 may receive the activation request frommobile subscriber 1055. SGSN 1076 may then initiate a Domain NameService (DNS) query to learn which GGSN node has access to the UPS.comAPN. The DNS query may be sent to the DNS server within the core network1070, such as DNS 1077, which may be provisioned to map to one or moreGGSN nodes in the core network 1070. Based on the APN, the mapped GGSN1078 can access the requested corporate network 1089. The SGSN 1076 maythen send to GGSN 1078 a Create Packet Data Protocol (PDP) ContextRequest message that contains necessary information. The GGSN 1078 maysend a Create PDP Context Response message to SGSN 1076, which may thensend an Activate PDP Context Accept message to mobile subscriber 1055.

Once activated, data packets of the call made by mobile subscriber 1055may then go through radio access network 1060, core network 1070, andinterconnect network 1080, in a particular fixed-end system, or Internet1084 and firewall 1088, to reach corporate network 1089.

Thus, network elements that can invoke the functionality of aninteractive personalized e-Experience system using visual voicemail suchas those described herein can include but are not limited to GatewayGPRS Support Node tables, Fixed End System router tables, firewallsystems, VPN tunnels, and any number of other network elements asrequired by the particular digital network.

FIG. 9 illustrates another exemplary block diagram view of a GSM/GPRS/IPmultimedia network architecture 1100 in which the systems and methodsfor an interactive personalized e-Experience system using visualvoicemail such as those described herein can be incorporated. Asillustrated, architecture 1100 of FIG. 9 includes a GSM core network1101, a GPRS network 1130 and an IP multimedia network 1138. The GSMcore network 1101 includes a Mobile Station (MS) 1102, at least one BaseTransceiver Station (BTS) 1104 and a Base Station Controller (BSC) 1106.The MS 1102 is physical equipment or Mobile Equipment (ME), such as amobile telephone or a laptop computer (e.g., wireless devices 111 and311) that is used by mobile subscribers, in one embodiment with aSubscriber identity Module (SIM). The SIM includes an InternationalMobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), which is a unique identifier of asubscriber. The BTS 1104 may be physical equipment, such as a radiotower, that enables a radio interface to communicate with the MS. EachBTS may serve more than one MS. The BSC 1106 may manage radio resources,including the BTS. The BSC may be connected to several BTSs. The BSC andBTS components, in combination, are generally referred to as a basestation (BSS) or radio access network (RAN) 1103.

The GSM core network 1101 may also include a Mobile Switching Center(MSC) 1108, a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) 1110, a HomeLocation Register (HLR) 1112, Visitor Location Register (VLR) 1114, anAuthentication Center (AuC) 1118, and an Equipment Identity Register(EIR) 1116. The MSC 1108 may perform a switching function for thenetwork. The MSC may also perform other functions, such as registration,authentication, location updating, handovers, and call routing. The GMSC1110 may provide a gateway between the GSM network and other networks,such as an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) or Public SwitchedTelephone Networks (PSTNs) 1120. Thus, the GMSC 1110 providesinterworking functionality with external networks.

The HLR 1112 is a database that may contain administrative informationregarding each subscriber registered in a corresponding GSM network. TheHLR 1112 may also contain the current location of each MS. The VLR 1114may be a database that contains selected administrative information fromthe HLR 1112. The VLR may contain information necessary for call controland provision of subscribed services for each MS currently located in ageographical area controlled by the VLR. The HLR 1112 and the VLR 1114,together with the MSC 1108, may provide the call routing and roamingcapabilities of GSM. The AuC 1116 may provide the parameters needed forauthentication and encryption functions. Such parameters allowverification of a subscriber's identity. The EIR 1118 may storesecurity-sensitive information about the mobile equipment.

A Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 1109 allows one-to-one shortmessage service (SMS), or multimedia message service (MMS), messages tobe sent to/from the MS 1102. A Push Proxy Gateway (PPG) 1111 is used to“push” (i.e., send without a synchronous request) content to the MS1102. The PPG 1111 acts as a proxy between wired and wireless networksto facilitate pushing of data to the MS 1102. A Short Message Peer toPeer (SMPP) protocol router 1113 may be provided to convert SMS-basedSMPP messages to cell broadcast messages. SMPP is a protocol forexchanging SMS messages between SMS peer entities such as short messageservice centers. The SMPP protocol is often used to allow third parties,e.g., content suppliers such as news organizations, to submit bulkmessages.

To gain access to GSM services, such as voice, data, short messageservice (SMS), and multimedia message service (MMS), the MS may firstregister with the network to indicate its current location by performinga location update and IMSI attach procedure. MS 1102 may send a locationupdate including its current location information to the MSC/VLR, viaBTS 1104 and BSC 1106. The location information may then be sent to theMS's HLR. The HLR may be updated with the location information receivedfrom the MSC/VLR. The location update may also be performed when the MSmoves to a new location area. Typically, the location update may beperiodically performed to update the database as location updatingevents occur.

GPRS network 1130 may be logically implemented on the GSM core networkarchitecture by introducing two packet-switching network nodes, aserving GPRS support node (SGSN) 1132, a cell broadcast and a GatewayGPRS support node (GGSN) 1134. The SGSN 1132 may be at the samehierarchical level as the MSC 1108 in the GSM network. The SGSN maycontrol the connection between the GPRS network and the MS 1102. TheSGSN may also keep track of individual MS's locations and securityfunctions and access controls.

Cell Broadcast Center (CBC) 1133 may communicate cell broadcast messagesthat are typically delivered to multiple users in a specified area. CellBroadcast is one-to-many geographically focused service. It enablesmessages to be communicated to multiple mobile telephone customers whoare located within a given part of its network coverage area at the timethe message is broadcast.

GGSN 1134 may provide a gateway between the GPRS network and a publicpacket network (PDN) or other IP networks 1136. That is, the GGSN mayprovide interworking functionality with external networks, and set up alogical link to the MS through the SGSN. When packet-switched dataleaves the GPRS network, it may be transferred to an external TCP-IPnetwork 1136, such as the Internet, or to any other external network,such as an X.25 network. In order to access GPRS services, the MS firstattaches itself to the GPRS network by performing an attach procedure.The MS then activates a packet data protocol (PDP) context, thusactivating a packet communication session between the MS, the SGSN, andthe GGSN.

In a GSM/GPRS network, GPRS services and GSM services may be used inparallel. The MS may operate in one three classes: class A, class B, andclass C. A class A MS may attach to the network for both GPRS servicesand GSM services simultaneously. A class A MS may also supportsimultaneous operation of GPRS services and GSM services. For example,class A mobiles may receive GSM voice/data/SMS calls and GPRS data callsat the same time.

A class B MS may attach to the network for both GPRS services and GSMservices simultaneously. However, a class B MS does not supportsimultaneous operation of the GPRS services and GSM services. That is, aclass B MS can only use one of the two services at a given time.

A class C MS can attach for only one of the GPRS services and GSMservices at a time. Simultaneous attachment and operation of GPRSservices and GSM services is not possible with a class C MS.

GPRS network 1130 may be designed to operate in three network operationmodes (NOM1, NOM2 and NOM3). A network operation mode of a GPRS networkmay be indicated by a parameter in system information messagestransmitted within a cell. The system information messages may direct aMS where to listen for paging messages and how to signal towards thenetwork. The network operation mode represents the capabilities of theGPRS network. In a NOM1 network, a MS may receive pages from a circuitswitched domain (voice call) when engaged in a data call. The MS maysuspend the data call or take both simultaneously, depending on theability of the MS. In a NOM2 network, a MS may not receive pages from acircuit switched domain when engaged in a data call, since the MS isreceiving data and is not listening to a paging channel. In a NOM3network, a MS can monitor pages for a circuit switched network whilereceiving data and vice versa.

The IP multimedia network 1138 was introduced with 3GPP Release 5, andmay include IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) 1140 to provide richmultimedia services to end users. A representative set of the networkentities within IMS 1140 are a call/session control function (CSCF), amedia gateway control function (MGCF) 1146, a media gateway (MGW) 1148,and a master subscriber database, called a home subscriber server (HSS)1150. HSS 1150 may be common to GSM core network 1101, GPRS network 1130as well as IP multimedia network 1138.

IP multimedia system 1140 may be built around the call/session controlfunction, of which there are three types: an interrogating CSCF (I-CSCF)1143, a proxy CSCF (P-CSCF) 1142, and a serving CSCF (S-CSCF) 1144. TheP-CSCF 1142 is the MS's first point of contact with the IMS 1140. TheP-CSCF 1142 may forward session initiation protocol (SIP) messagesreceived from the MS to an SIP server in a home network (and vice versa)of the MS. The P-CSCF 1142 may also modify an outgoing request accordingto a set of rules defined by the network operator (for example, addressanalysis and potential modification).

I-CSCF 1143 forms an entrance to a home network and hides the innertopology of the home network from other networks and providesflexibility for selecting an S-CSCF. I-CSCF 1143 may contact subscriberlocation function (SLF) 1145 to determine which HSS 1150 to use for theparticular subscriber, if multiple HSSs 1150 are present. S-CSCF 1144may perform the session control services for MS 1102. This includesrouting originating sessions to external networks and routingterminating sessions to visited networks. S-CSCF 1144 may also decidewhether an application server (AS) 1152 is required to receiveinformation on an incoming SIP session request to ensure appropriateservice handling. This decision may be based on information receivedfrom HSS 1150 (or other sources, such as application server 1152). AS1152 may also communicate to location server 1156 (e.g., a GatewayMobile Location Center (GMLC)) that provides a position (e.g.,latitude/longitude coordinates) of MS 1102.

HSS 1150 may contain a subscriber profile and keep track of which corenetwork node is currently handling the subscriber. It may also supportsubscriber authentication and authorization functions (AAA). In networkswith more than one HSS 1150, a subscriber location function may provideinformation on the HSS 1150 that contains the profile of a givensubscriber.

MGCF 1146 may provide interworking functionality between SIP sessioncontrol signaling from the IMS 1140 and ISUP/BICC call control signalingfrom the external GSTN networks (not shown.) It may also control themedia gateway (MGW) 1148 that provides user-plane interworkingfunctionality (e.g., converting between AMR- and PCM-coded voice.) MGW1148 may also communicate with other IP multimedia networks 1154.

Push to Talk over Cellular (PoC) capable mobile telephones may registerwith the wireless network when the telephones are in a predefined area(e.g., job site, etc.) When the mobile telephones leave the area, theymay register with the network in their new location as being outside thepredefined area. This registration, however, does not indicate theactual physical location of the mobile telephones outside thepre-defined area.

While example embodiments of systems and methods for an interactivepersonalized e-Experience system using visual voicemail have beendescribed in connection with various communications devices andcomputing devices/processors, the underlying concepts can be applied toany communications or computing device, processor, or system capable ofimplementing the systems and methods described. The various techniquesdescribed herein can be implemented in connection with hardware orsoftware or, where appropriate, with a combination of both. Thus, themethods and apparatuses for an interactive personalized e-Experiencesystem using visual voicemail, or certain aspects or portions thereof,can take the form of program code (i.e., instructions) embodied intangible, non-transitory media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, harddrives, or any other machine-readable storage medium, wherein, when theprogram code is loaded into and executed by a machine, such as acomputer, the machine becomes an apparatus for an interactivepersonalized e-Experience system. In the case of program code executionon programmable computers, the computing device will generally include aprocessor, a storage medium readable by the processor (includingvolatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), at least oneinput device, and at least one output device. The program(s) can beimplemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. The languagecan be a compiled or interpreted language, and combined with hardwareimplementations.

Methods and systems for an interactive personalized e-Experience systemusing visual voicemail can also be practiced via communications embodiedin the form of program code that is transmitted over some transmissionmedium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics,or via any other form of transmission, wherein, when the program code isreceived and loaded into and executed by a machine, such as an EPROM, agate array, a programmable logic device (PLD), a client computer, or thelike, the machine becomes an apparatus for an interactive personalizede-Experience system. When implemented on a general-purpose processor,the program code combines with the processor to provide a uniqueapparatus that operates to invoke the functionality of an interactivepersonalized e-Experience system using visual voicemail as describedherein. Additionally, any storage techniques used in connection with avisual voicemail system can invariably be a combination of hardware andsoftware.

While systems and methods for an interactive personalized e-Experiencesystem using visual voicemail have been described in connection with thevarious embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood thatother similar embodiments can be used or modifications and additions canbe made to the described embodiments for performing the same function ofproviding an interactive personalized e-Experience system using visualvoicemail without deviating therefrom. For example, one skilled in theart will recognize that an interactive personalized e-Experience systemusing visual voicemail as described in the present application may applyto any environment, whether wired or wireless, and may be applied to anynumber of such devices connected via a communications network andinteracting across the network. Therefore, an interactive personalizede-Experience system using visual voicemail should not be limited to anysingle embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scopein accordance with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: determining, at a wirelessnetwork device, a location of a mobile wireless device; determining, atthe wireless network device, that the location of the mobile wirelessdevice is within an area associated with a merchant; receiving, at thewireless network device from the mobile wireless device, a request fordirections to a location of a product within the area associated withthe merchant; generating, at the wireless network device in response toreceiving the request for directions to the location of the productwithin the area associated with the merchant, visual voicemail contentcomprising: first content associated with a user associated with themobile wireless device, and second content associated with the merchant,the second content comprising the directions to the location of theproduct within the area associated with the merchant; generating, at thewireless network device, a visual voicemail message comprising thevisual voicemail content; and transmitting the visual voicemail messagefrom the wireless network device to the mobile wireless device.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the visual voicemail message comprisesinteractive content.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interactivecontent comprises a control that generates a request for assistance. 4.The method of claim 2, wherein the interactive content comprises acontrol that generates a request for product information.
 5. The methodof claim 2, wherein the interactive content comprises a control thatgenerates a request for service plan information.
 6. The method of claim1, wherein the directions to the location of the product within the areaassociated with the merchant comprise at least one of audio directions,video directions, or text directions.
 7. The method of claim 1, whereinthe second content comprises a listing of at least one item for sale bythe merchant.
 8. A computer-readable medium that is not a propagatingsignal, the computer-readable medium comprising computer-executableinstructions that, when executed by a computer, perform operationscomprising: determining a location of a mobile wireless device;determining that the location of the mobile wireless device is within anarea associated with a merchant; receiving a request for directions to alocation of a product within the area associated with the merchant fromthe mobile wireless device; generating, in response to receiving therequest for directions to the location of the product within the areaassociated with the merchant, visual voicemail content comprising: firstcontent associated with a user associated with the mobile wirelessdevice, and second content associated with the merchant, the secondcontent comprising the directions to the location of the product withinthe area associated with the merchant; generating a visual voicemailmessage comprising the visual voicemail content; and transmitting thevisual voicemail message to the mobile wireless device.
 9. Thecomputer-readable medium that is not a propagating signal of claim 8,wherein the visual voicemail message comprises interactive content. 10.The computer-readable medium that is not a propagating signal of claim9, wherein the interactive content comprises a control that generates arequest for assistance.
 11. The computer-readable medium that is not apropagating signal of claim 9, wherein the interactive content comprisesa control that generates a request for product information.
 12. Thecomputer-readable medium that is not a propagating signal of claim 9,wherein the interactive content comprises a control that generates arequest for service plan information.
 13. The computer-readable mediumthat is not a propagating signal of claim 8, wherein the directions tothe location of the product within the area associated with the merchantcomprise at least one of audio directions, video directions, or textdirections.
 14. The computer-readable medium that is not a propagatingsignal of claim 8, wherein the second content comprises a listing of atleast one item for sale by the merchant.
 15. A system comprising: amemory comprising instructions; a processor coupled to the memory,wherein the processor, when executing the instructions, performsoperations comprising: determining a location of a mobile wirelessdevice; determining that the location of the mobile wireless device iswithin an area associated with a merchant; receiving a request fordirections to a location of a product within the area associated withthe merchant from the mobile wireless device; generating visualvoicemail content comprising: first content associated with a userassociated with the mobile wireless device, and second contentassociated with the merchant, the second content comprising thedirections to the location of the product within the area associatedwith the merchant; generating a visual voicemail message comprising thevisual voicemail content; and transmitting the visual voicemail messageto the mobile wireless device.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein thevisual voicemail message comprises interactive content.
 17. The systemof claim 16, wherein the interactive content comprises a control thatgenerates a request for assistance.
 18. The system of claim 16, whereinthe interactive content comprises a control that generates a request forproduct information.
 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the interactivecontent comprises a control that generates a request for service planinformation.
 20. The system of claim 15, wherein directions to thelocation of the product within the area associated with the merchantcomprise at least one of audio directions, video directions, or textdirections.